Clements has McCarthy vote for Penn State job

Packers Quarterbacks Coach Tom Clements is expected to interview for the head coaching job at Penn State, and Mike McCarthy cast his vote solidly in Clements’ favor.

“I have three siblings that have graduated from Penn State, so he’d have the McCarthy vote,” the Packers head coach said. “These opportunities are few and far between.”

Head coaching opportunities are likely to present themselves more often for members of McCarthy’s staff, as would be expected of a team that has won 19 consecutive games and is the reigning Super Bowl champion. Clements played at Notre Dame but he’s a native of Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, the Packers were concluding their preparation for Sunday’s game in Kansas City. The Packers have a long injury list that includes defensive lineman Ryan Pickett, whom McCarthy confirmed will miss Sunday’s game due to a concussion Pickett sustained last Sunday against the Raiders.

The Packers defense will be facing a Chiefs team that hasn’t scored more than 10 points in any game since October, but the Chiefs offense the Packers have seen on tape this week will be different from the one they’ll see on Sunday.

“This is a different week,” Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers said. “Everything we watched was (with Tyler) Palko at quarterback. It sounds like we’re going to get (Kyle) Orton. I think he can make all the throws. The transition to the new quarterback should create a lot of excitement. We know we’ll get their best effort.”

The Packers faced Orton earlier this season, when he was the quarterback of the Denver Broncos. The Packers won that game, 49-23.

“He threw the ball pretty well against us,” Capers said.

Coming off one of his defense’s strongest efforts of the season, Capers would like to see a repeat performance this week in Kansas City.

“I’d like for us to be consistent. I thought we took a step in the right direction last week. This is the month of December, so it’s getting down to the nitty-gritty and we need to be playing our best defense heading into the playoffs,” Capers said.

Offensively, the Packers will be facing a Chiefs defense that possesses a star pass-rusher in Tamba Hali and a 10th-ranked secondary.

“I know they miss Eric Berry, but I think it’s a good defensive football team,” Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin said.

“They move him around,” Philbin added of Hali. “He’s a good player. He’s got the speed and the get-off, but he’s got the power, too. He plays to the whistle. He’s got a legit motor.”

The Packers will be without star wide receiver Greg Jennings, out with a knee injury, which will shine the spotlight on the Packers’ depth at the position.

“They’ve all played some. I expect we should be able to throw the football, if we protect well, and get some guys open and move the ball through the air,” Philbin said.